San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
IN NATIONAL CITY, CRUISING IS BACK ON THE ROAD
City Council will consider a six-month trial run on Fridays
After nearly three decades of prohibition, cruising in National City might make a comeback next year, at least for a while.
The City Council next month will discuss a proposal that would temporarily suspend the 1992 no-cruise ordinance that was established to help curb crime and traffic congestion.
During a six-month period from April to September, cruising would be allowed on the first Friday of every month from 6 to 9 p.m. The sponsoring agency would have to submit a temporary use permit with the city for events.
Once the trial period ends, the City Council would review how those six months went and consider the future of the policy, which could include its full repeal.
“I really felt that it was essential that we suspend the policy as has been done during the course of those lowrider events … to see ... if the repeal is where we want to go,” Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-solis said earlier this month during a City Council meeting.
She is part of a lowrider ad hoc committee, which also includes Councilmember Mona Rios and members of the local United Lowrider Coalition. The coalition was formed to build trust between the local lowrider community and the police department, as well as push for a repeal of the cruising ordinance. The temporary committee developed the plan and recommended temporarily suspending the ban.
Some in the local lowrider community, as well as Vice Mayor Marcus Bush and Councilmember Jose Rodriguez, argued that they would have liked to see a full repeal rather than a pause of the policy, particularly because the ordinance has not been enforced for years.
“I’ll remind the council that the no-cruising ordinance hasn’t been enforced in over 15 years. I still don’t understand why such a vague and useless law should be affirmed by this council,” said Aida Castaneda, a political adviser for the United Lowrider Coalition.
The National City Police Department has not issued any infractions related to the policy in the past decade “because we haven’t had to. The whole area of Highland (Avenue) has changed drastically over the years, partly because of the ordinance (and) partly because the street has changed,” said Police Chief Jose Tellez.
Police would also need extra personnel and time to set up checkpoints, Tellez added.
Councilmember Ron Morrison said a scheduled cruising season would allow law enforcement to prepare for crowd control and make “it very predictable.”
While many in the local lowrider community would have liked to see a full repeal, many said a seasonal cruise is a step in the right direction.
“We didn’t have this before and so for the City Council to agree to let us have the cruises in sort of like a pilot program for us, that is definitely progress,” said coalition member and local lowrider Jovita Arellano.
She said the coalition will work with members of the community to consider where cruises will take place, such as Highland Avenue or National City Boulevard, and other additional details.